Sintering-machine.



F. W. YOST.

SINTERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. 1916.

1,204,633. Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

2 5HEETSSHEET l- 1 351 51A; Ethane F. W. YQST.

SINTERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24. I916.

Patented Nov.

5] e r yo i? FREDERICK W. YOST,-OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN ORE RECLAMATION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SINTERING-MAGHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 24, 1916. Serial No. 110,882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Yos'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in sintering-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

In sintering machines of the general class now well known as the Dwight & Lloyd type, a train of grate bearing pallets is moved continuously over the top of a wind suction box, which draws down through the pallets filled with finely divided ore, flue dust or similar material, ignited at the surface, a current of air which maintains suflicient combustion in the mass to effect its agglomeration. To guide and control the requisite movement of the pallets, upper, lower and curved end tracks are provided above, below and at the ends of the wind box and the pallets are provided with flanged wheels which run on these tracks.

Heretofore, the plan for propelling the pallets which has proved the most practicable, and which has been generally adopted, involved the employment at the driving end of the wind box of sprocket wheels, the teeth of which engage the flanged wheels on the pallets and thus lift the latter from the lower to the upper tracks and force the train horizontally on the upper track. In this construction the flanged wheels on the sides of the pallets perform a double function while passing around the driving .sprocket ,wheels, for while they are primarily intended to guide the pallets around the curved end track at the driving end of the machine and onto the straight upper track so as to form a properly alined and air-tight train for passage over the top of the wind box, they also serve as driven members that mesh with the teeth of the driving sprocket wheels.

In raising the train, therefore, the driving mechanism forces the pallet wheels against the curved end track, but at the same time being, engaged by the sprocket teeth which exercise a braking efiect upon them, the wheels are restrained from free movement of rotation, and scrape and skid on the tracks. This results in serious wear on the tracks and in equally serious wear on the treads of the pallet wheels, and the amount of power required to drive the train of pallets is, under these conditions, greatly in excess of that which would be required, were the wheels free to perform their function as track rollers alone. This particular objection may be in a measure overcome by a construction which has been heretofore proposed, wherein an endless train of pallets carried by a chain belt around end sprockets and along a horizontal upper or return track has been propelled by a reciprocating drive mechanism engaging with lugs or projections on the pallets themselves, but this plan of relieving the wheels or rollers from performing double duty has never been followed practically beyond this,

.which amounts merely to a suggestion that the pallets themselves may be subjected directly to the propelling force, leaving the wheels free to revolve when actually resting on a horizontal or other track.

The improvement upon which is based my Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

present application for patent is applicable to that form of sintering machine in which a train of pallets or their equivalents is provided with wheels vwhich run upon tracks, and which is propelled by power over the wind box and along or around such tracks.

It consists in the combination with such a train of one or more sprocket wheels, driven by suitable power, and which engage, not with the rolls or wheels which support the pallets upon or guide them along suitable tracks, but with teeth or lugs of equivalent character on the pallets themselves, and

preferably on the sides of their frames.

In a new machine of the old type, in which all of the articulating members of the sprocket drive and pallets are correctly correlated, the pallets are delivered to the upper or sintering track and top of the wind boxin proper alinement and a reasonably air tight joint between them and the wind box is maintained. After wear has taken place, however, it has been found that the pallets are apt to be delivered to.

the track and. wind box out of alinement, and this misplacement of individual pallets precludes the maintenance of an air tight joint with the wind box. Such misplacement or mis-alinement is due, as above pointed out, to a very large extent, to the rapid wear of the wheels and curved end tracks caused by the locking of the pallet wheels while passing around the sprocket drive. By my improvement, however, the free and intended operation of the wheels or rolls is not in any way interfered with, and the objectionable result of wear of both tracks and wheels is avoided, while a more practicable means of propulsion is secured and a far more eflicient form of machine is rendered possible.

The type of machine to which my invention is applicable is now so well known that I need illustrate but little beyond the improvement itself. In the drawings therefore, I have shown only the driving end of a Dwight & Lloyd machine with sprocket wheels engaging with teeth on the sides of the pallets, the wheels of which are free to run on the'tracks provided for them.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a machine such as above outlined, and showing my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the axial line of the sprocket device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the sprocket and pallets and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View of the pallets as they appear when passing over the top of the wind box.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 indicates a train of pallets adapted to be propelled in the direction of the arrows around an endless path and over the top of the wind box of a sintering machine, the details of which are largely omitted from the illustration.- These pallets are returned from the end of the machine in an empty and inverted position, and have wheels 2 which run over the lower inclined tracks 3.

At the driving end of the machine are large sprocket wheels 4, suitably mounted and driven by power, the teeth 5 of which engage with teeth 6 on the sides of the pallet frames and thus propel the train up around the curved end track 7, or between this track and a parallel inner track 8, to the top of the machine, where the pallets in an upright position are filled, and pass over the edges of the wind box 11 in the usual manner, the wheels running on horizontal tracks 10 not fully shown.

The teethG may be formed or attached to the pallets in any desired manner, and may have any desired or proper form. In Fig. 2 they are shown as forming an integral part of the frame of the pallets and as lying inside the track wheels 2. The form or cons'truction of the pallets may also vary to any extent, but I prefer to make them so as to fit closely one against the other when end to end, and to have slightly rounded corners 9 to facilitate their close union as they are forced around the curved end track.

The diameter of the sprocket device may greatly vary. In the drawing I have shown it as of substantially less dimensions than the curved end track, and this is quite possible, although not always desirable, for if the sprockets be of the full diameter of the curved end track a due proportion of the total load is thus transmitted to each of the pallets passing around the end track. When, however, sprockets of lesser diameter are used, the pallet wheels rolling freely around the curved end tracks will guide the pallet drive through the required path without-being supported by the sprocket teeth.

This improved construction greatly reduces the wear on the pallet wheels and on the curved end tracks, and permits the maintenance of these parts in correct relation to each other. This materially reduces the cost of renewal and repairs, lessens the power required to drive the machine and greatly increases its efficiency.

What I claim is:

1. In a sintering machine of the kind described, the combination with a train of grate bearing pallets provided with track wheels, of track rails for supporting and guiding the pallet wheels, and a sprocket drive for imparting movement to the pallets, engaging with teeth attached to the pallets themselves.

2. In a sintering machine of the kind described, the combination of grate-carrying pallets having teeth formed integral with the pallet frames, and driving sprocket wheels with teeth engaging those on the pallet frames, curved track rails for guiding the pallets around the sprocket wheel driving path, and trackwheels on the pallets adapted to roll on the curved track rails unrestrained by the sprockets.

3. In a continuous sintering machine of the kind described, the combination with a train of grate-carrying pallets fitted with track wheels, sprocket wheels for driving the train of pallets, upper, lower and curved end track rails for guiding the pallets over and from the wind box and around the path of the sprocket wheel drive, and teeth formed in the pallet frames and with which the sprocket wheels engage.

4. In a sintering machine of the kind described, the combination with grate-carrying pallets fitted with track wheels, rails for guiding the same through the path of action, separate engaging members carried by the pallets, and a sprocket wheel drive In testimony whereof I affix my signature for cooperating therewith. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

5. The combination in a continuous sintering machine, of the kind described, of FREDERICK YOST' 5 grate bearing pallets with teeth formed in- .Wltnesses:

tegral with the pallet frames, and a sprocket M. B. WIDMAYER,

drive meshing with the pallet teeth. WALTER S. REED. 

